There currently exists no interdisciplinary or collaboratively developed agenda of recommended research into the cause(s) and prevention of spina bifida, the single most commonly occurring disabling birth defect in the United States. Therefore, the long term objective of this conference is to establish a cross-disciplinary research agenda toward the identification of the cause(s) and prevention of spina bifida and other neural tube defects. The specific aims of the conference are: 1) To convene a two and one half day working session for key scientists and researchers currently working in various aspects of spina bifida and neural tube effect research; 2) To expose all participants to the current understanding and research in progress in the various disciplines; and 3) To collaboratively produce a unified report including a presentation of the most promising avenues of discipline-specific and cross-disciplinary research and a presentation of further research recommended to identify the cause(s) and prevention of spina bifida and other neural tube defects.